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Jackson
County World War I Casualties JOURNAL MAN AT HOME
By Fred Lockley
(Ashland's sons who have gained distinction in their country's wars are
listed by a local authority, Postmaster Kaiser, and Mr. Lockley records
the list, appending the names of those who made the great sacrifice.)
A day or so ago E. J. Kaiser, postmaster at Ashland, and myself sat on a bench in the city park and for an hour or more talked of the war. "Ashland isn't a very large place, as you know," said Mr. Kaiser, "yet more than 250 of our boys were in service. Thirty of them served as officers. Colonel Thomas W. Hammond is an Ashland boy. He was born and reared here. His father, A. P. Hammond, used to be postmaster here, in early days. Colonel Hammond's sister, Mrs. John H. Turner, lives here. Another sister, Mrs. Charles Young, lives in Medford. Still another sister, Mrs. Nellie Minkler, did live here till she became a yeoman and was stationed at the Bremerton navy yard. After Colonel Hammond graduated from the Ashland high school he went through West Point. When the United States declared war on Germany Colonel Hammond was stationed in the Philippines. He was summoned to Washington to become a member of the war staff. Later he was summoned to France. He reported at Chaumont to serve on General Pershing's staff. Toward the close of the war he saw active service at the front. He recently returned to the United States. "Another colonel who started his career in Ashland is John L. May, colonel of the Third Oregon. He used to work here in the freight office of the Southern Pacific Company. He belonged to the militia company here. When Oregon's troops were called in the Spanish-American War the National Guard companies at Ashland and Roseburg were merged to form Company D of the old Second Oregon. John L. May became captain of the consolidated company, with F. B. Hamlin of Roseburg as first lieutenant, and Ed Thornton of Ashland second lieutenant. After the close of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine insurrection, Captain May came back to his railroad job in Ashland. He had married Judge Bonnefield's daughter in Nevada, and I believe some of his children were born here in Ashland. He and his regiment made a splendid record in France. "James Moore is another Ashland boy who has worked to the top. He is in the navy, with the rank of lieutenant commander, and has charge of the navy yard at Charleston, S.C. In the old days, when the government maintained a telegraph line from Ashland to Fort Klamath and Fort Bidwell, his father, Dennis Moore, was in charge of the government line. After the death of his father, his mother married Sam Evans, a fruit rancher. They still live here. Jim graduated at the Ashland high school and later went through Annapolis. "When the war started Clyde A. Malone was superintendent of the California-Oregon Power Company here. He was captain of the local company of the National Guard. He came out of the war with a commission as major. "Major A. J. McCallan is another Ashland boy who made good in the service. Andy was born at Lakeview, where his father ran a bank. Later they moved to Ashland, where Andy was reared. He is a graduate of our local high school. He saw action during the last few weeks of the war. "Captain Frank Moore is a brother of Lieutenant Commander James Moore. He also is an Ashland High School boy. He went from here to the O.A.C. From there he went to the Presidio, where he received his commission. He saw plenty of action at the front in France. "Donald M. Spencer's father, A. C. Spencer, served from Oregon in the Civil War. Donald was at work in the post office here at the outbreak of hostilities. He is Ashland born and Ashland reared. He became a first lieutenant, and on account of his knowledge of postal affairs was sent all over France organizing the military postal service. "First Lieutenant Walter A. Phillips is an Ashland boy. His mother still lives here. After graduating at the Ashland high school he went to the O.A.C. You know all about his grandfather, E. K. Anderson, who took a donation land claim at Talent in 1852. Lieutenant Phillips was an aviator. He was shot down by a German airman while over the German lines and fell to his death. "Another grandson of E. K. Anderson is First Lieutenant J. Crit Tolman, who was also in the aviation service. "First Lieutenant William Briggs, whose father is an attorney here, enlisted from a college in Indiana. Billy was born and reared here. "Lieutenant Carrol M. Wagner is of pioneer stock. He is a mining engineer. His grandfather was Jacob Wagner, for whom Mount Wagner and Wagner Creek were named. "Lieutenant John A. Finneran's father has been for a long time section foreman on the Southern Pacific here. John graduated from the Ashland high school and was at the University of Oregon when he entered the service. "Lieutenant Verni V. Mills was born here. His folks came about the time the railroad supplanted the Oregon-California stage line. That was about 1888 or 1889. "Lieutenant Millard W. Grubb is back at the old job with me in the post office. His father was here when Ashland was a village. He took up a donation land claim near the city. "When Lieutenant Lyn G. Mowat entered the service he was city editor of the Ashland Tidings. He is a graduate of the Ashland high school. "Lieutenant Harley Lewis Irwin, son of ex-Chief of Police A. L. Irwin, had a peculiar experience. He is a nephew of Colonel Arthur Bump. Mrs. Bump lives in Portland. Harley left Ashland some years ago with the intention of seeing the world. He enlisted in the navy. He wanted to knock about the Orient a bit, so he deserted while in a Chinese port. Then along came the war, so he enlisted in the army as a private, under the name of Harley I. Lewis. He saw plenty of action and was promoted to a lieutenancy. Now he is trying to change his name from Lieutenant Harley I. Lewis back to Harley Lewis Irwin. "Lieutenant William Bruce Allen is a graduate of the old Southern Oregon Normal School of Ashland. His father used to run the Lakeview Examiner and later worked for me on the Ashland Record. "Lieutenant Archie Anderson was educated here and is the son of the Rev. G. R. Anderson of the Methodist church. "Lieutenant J. Quincy Adams is another of our boys to win a commission. His mother lives on Grant Street here. "Another son of a pioneer Ashland family is Lieutenant Bernard Spencer. "Do you remember writing up Mr. Ashcroft and his seven sons? I don't know how many of them were in the service, but I know that one of them became an ensign in the navy yard and, I hear, was promoted to the next highest rank recently. "Edward M. Stannard, whose father operates the electric light plant here, also won a commission as ensign in the navy. "In the medical corps the following Ashland boys were commissioned: Donald A. Walker, J. P. Johnson, A. W. Boslough, L. A. Briscoe and Gordon MacCracken. "Lieutenant Clyde Gray is of pioneer stock. He served in the Spanish-American War, as well as in this war. "W. W. Asher, manager of the telephone company here, is assistant paymaster at Bremerton. "Charles W. Watson, son of attorney C. B. Watson, the well-known author, is an officer in the engineers. "J. D. Castleman, who ran the movie theater here, has been in France for over a year. He holds the rank of captain. "E. C. Weaver, one of the owners of the famous Clayton orchards near this city, is an ensign in the navy and is stationed at Bremerton. "Another boy of pioneer stock to become a lieutenant is Leland C. DeCarlo of the Pinehurst district. "First Lieutenant Donald Rice was born and reared here. He is a grandson of Pat Dunn, a pioneer of Southern Oregon and an Indian war veteran. "Among our boys who have made the supreme sacrifice are: "Clem M. Summers, who, while serving in the Stanford ambulance corps, was killed by a shell. "Ray Morgan, a native of Ashland and son of J. M. Morgan, was a marine and 'went west' at Chateau-Thierry. "Archie Smith, son of W. K. Smith, was killed in action, as was also Earl P. Blackdin, son of P. D. Blackdin. "Philip Trefren died in France, as did Hubert G. Spencer. "Arthur Decker, Forest G. Wolcott and A. V. Loomis died of pneumonia at Fort Stevens. "H. S. Sandford died of pneumonia at the Presidio, and Ray Davis at Camp Lewis." Oregon
Journal, Portland, March 17, 1919, page 8
HONOR ROLL OF JACKSON COUNTY MEN IN LATE WAR
The following
"honor roll" of boys who were killed, or died of disease in the world
war, was furnished by County Clerk Florey. Anyone knowing others will
please report to the county clerk. If there are any corrections in the
dates or places, notify Mr. Florey. It is desired to make the roll
complete.
Adams, Ernest--Private, Aero Squadron, Medford; died of the result of aeroplane accident, June 26, 1918. Applegate, Willis I.--Private, Engineers, Jacksonville; died of pneumonia, February 2, 1918. Barber, Newell C.--Second Lieutenant, Air Service Signal Corps, Medford; killed in action, August 11, 1918. Bateman, Lawrence S.--Private, Infantry, Medford; died of pneumonia, October 31, 1918. Beery, James M.--Private, Infantry, Jacksonville; died of appendicitis, September 14, 1919. Beeson, Earl D.--Private, Depot Brigade, Talent; died of diphtheria, May 8, 1918. Blevins, Homer--Private, Infantry, Jacksonville; killed in action, May 27, 1918. Brown, Thomas R.--Private, Engineers, Sams Valley; died of tuberculosis, March 12, 1918. Collings, Oscar F.--Private, Headquarters, Watkins; died of pneumonia, August 8, 1918. Davis, Walter R.--Private, Depot Brigade, Ashland; died of pneumonia, June 11, 1918. Decker, Arthur M.--Private, Coast Artillery Corps, Ashland; died of tumor of brain, March 23, 1918. Hawk, Russel Simon--Private, Marines, Derby; killed in action July 19, 1918. Holmes, Joseph Thomas--Private 1st Class, Coast Artillery Corps, Medford; died of wounds received in action, October 12, 1918.  Loomis, Algie V.--Ashland; cause, date and place of death not given.  Nicholas, Glenn A.--Private, Aero Squadron, Medford; died of diphtheria, April 4, 1919. Powers, Orlie H.--Private, Recruit Company, Talent; died of pneumonia, October 17, 1918. Sanford, Horatio S.--Private, Army Repair Detachment, Ashland; died of pneumonia, October 17, 1918. Singleton, John--Private, Infantry, Eagle Point; died of wounds received in action, January 3, 1918. Spencer, Herbert Guy--Private, Coast Artillery Corps, Ashland; died of pneumonia, July 14, 1918. Spooner, Artemus [Rollin]--Medford; cause, date and place not given. Toskan, Gust S.--Private, Infantry, Medford; killed in action, October 5, 1918.  Ward, Raymond M.--Private, Infantry, Medford; killed in action, October 12, 1918. Wolcott, Forrest G.--Sergeant, Coast Artillery Corps, Ashland; died of pneumonia, November 8, 1918. Young, Loren F.--Private, Infantry, Forest Creek, died of meningitis, October 21, 1918. Of this list 10 went out from Ashland, or near vicinity. These are Earl D. Beeson, Walter R. Davis, Arthur M. Decker, Algie V. Loomis,  Ashland Weekly Tidings, June 23, 1920, page 1 To the above may be added, from Soldiers of the Great War, volume III: Billings, Ernest O., Private, Gold Hill (killed in action) Ford, Walter T., Corporal, Central Point (killed in action)  Morgan, Thomas J., Private, Eagle Point (died of disease) Moses, Ray H., Private, Medford (killed in action)  Summers, Clement M., Private, Ashland (killed in action) Soldiers of the Great War, Soldiers Record Publishing Association, volume III, 1920, page 43 Last revised October 15, 2023 |
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